Apply for or renew a Blue Badge
If you have a non-visible disability
A non-visible (hidden) disability is a disability or health condition that is not immediately obvious.
This can include (but is not limited to):
- mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, personality disorders or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- autism
- sensory and processing difficulties
- cognitive impairment such as dementia, traumatic brain injury or learning disabilities
We recognise that this is not an exhaustive list, and that other disabilities and conditions exist which are not listed above.
Eligibility
We can issue you a Blue Badge if you have an enduring and substantial disability that causes you to:
- be unable to walk
- experience considerable difficulty whilst walking, including psychological distress
- be at risk of serious harm to yourself or others when walking
The term ‘enduring and substantial’ is defined as any disability or condition that is not expected to improve within the next 3 years to an extent that means you no longer meet the eligibility criteria.
If your condition affects your mobility
Some non-visible conditions may be more appropriately assessed under the mobility criteria.
This can include people who experience very considerable difficulty when walking due to psychological distress or where there is a significant risk of harm to themselves or others.
Examples may include:
- physical aggression, including aggression towards others
- refusing to walk or dropping to the floor
- wandering away or running off
- ignoring or not following instructions
- severe anxiety or self-harming behaviour
- agoraphobia
- severe mental health conditions, cognitive impairments or severe learning disabilities
People who experience these difficulties may:
- have little or no awareness of danger
- be unable to recognise risks to themselves or others
- find unfamiliar environments or situations particularly distressing
- be unable to develop effective or reliable coping strategies
If you have a physical and non-visible disability or condition, you should select both criteria when you apply. We will assess you against the most relevant criteria.
Evidence required for non-visible disabilities
If you're applying under the non-visible disability criteria, you must provide evidence that helps us understand how your condition affects your ability to make a journey.
If your evidence is more than 2 pages long, you need to upload it as one complete PDF or Word document. We cannot accept individual pages or screenshots taken from a longer document.
Examples of supporting evidence include:
- your most recent Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
- risk assessments completed by a school, college, care provider or support worker
- SEN/CAMHS documents
- letters from a healthcare professional confirming a diagnosis
- Assessment Reports
- evidence showing how your condition has changed or progressed over time
- details of ongoing treatment, appointments or clinic attendance
- letters from consultants or other medical specialists
- care plans from social care services
- letters from other professionals involved in your care or support
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decision letters or award summaries
- evidence of a Council Tax discount for severe mental impairment
- evidence of any other benefits you receive
Providing us relevant and up-to-date evidence can help us assess your application more quickly.
How we assess your application
Blue Badge eligibility for people with non-visible disabilities is not based on diagnosis alone.
We assess:
- the severity of your condition
- how your condition affects your ability to walk and complete journeys on a regular basis (between a parked vehicle and your destination)